


A Christmas (Lights) Story

by DianaMoon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Christmas, Christmas Lights, Companionable Snark, Hijinks & Shenanigans, M/M, Post - Order of the Phoenix, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Pre - Half-Blood Prince, Pre-Slash, Sweet, Yuletide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-24
Updated: 2005-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-02 09:51:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/367690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DianaMoon/pseuds/DianaMoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus finds himself under a Holiday prank and only a certain werewolf can help him out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Christmas (Lights) Story

**Author's Note:**

> violet_quill’s [Yuletide](http://www.livejournal.com/users/violet_quill/238859.html) Challenge. Prompt was _Christmas Lights_. I’d like to thank osmalic, rebeccasama, and xterm for looking this over and encouraging me.

"Remus, my dear boy, please excuse me for a second."

"Is there something the matter, Albus?"

"Oh it’s nothing for you to worry about. I seemed to have forgotten something in my quarters. Please help yourself to a Lemon Drop."

Remus smiled as Albus left the office. Taking the opportunity, he examined the headmaster’s office with a bemused expression. ‘Albus really had outdone himself this time,’ he thought as the once normal looking office was now covered with holiday decorations. Everything seemed to be a mash of red and green and if not sparkling then certainly glowing. 

Even the fire was spelled to be alternating from normal orange colors to green. A few seconds later, Remus realized someone was fire calling the Headmaster. The actual head of Hogwarts’ current Potions Master suddenly appeared.

"Albus! I have a little situation here that needs your attention!" 

"Hullo Severus. Happy Holidays," Remus responded with his genial smile. 

"Lupin? What in Merlin’s name are you doing here? And where’s Albus?" The floating head looked rather annoyed.

"Apparently Professor Pudmere had a family emergency and won’t be returning till after the New Year."

"And so the Headmaster thought it was a good opportunity to have you sub in? Bloody fantastic…" Severus scowled.

"Well, yes I thought so myself, Severus. Fantastic chance for me. Albus went to his quarters for something but he should be back soon. Anything I could help with, Severus?" Sometimes Remus thought it was fun to see how many times he could say the man’s name in one instance. The twitch of Severus’ eyebrow at every hearing of his name amused Remus to no end.

A hesitant look came upon Severus’ face. Clearly he was debating whether the situation he was in was worth ignoring the werewolf to wait for Albus. 

"I really don’t have time for this," Severus muttered, "Oh all right. As I do not know how long the headmaster will really be. You must promise me, Lupin, that you will NOT speak a word of this to anyone else, or so help me…"

The other man chuckled, "Okay Severus, I promise. Now what’s this all about?"

Severus sighed in aggravation. "Just come to my rooms Lupin, and be quick about it." With that, the floating head of Severus Snape disappeared and only a small fire remained.

* * *

It wasn’t until Remus Lupin was standing in front the Head of Slytherin’s chambers, that he wondered how many had been inside. His inner Marauder was happy for the chance to enter yet another previously forbidden part of the castle. 

Shortly after the echoes of his knocking died down, Remus was surprised to hear the sound of something crashing to the floor and was that Severus swearing?

He knocked again, "Severus? It’s Remus, is everything all right in there?"

"Lupin! My wards are down, just enter. I can’t-–blast them all-–come to the door."

Muttering a quick _Alohomora_ Remus rushed in his former schoolmate’s chambers. Expecting the worst, he was at a loss for words at the state he found Severus Snape in his study.

It only took a few moments of Severus’ glaring for the old werewolf to find his tongue. "My my, Severus. I never took you for one to have a Christmas fetish."

"I. Do not. Have a. CHRISTMAS FETISH!" Severus struggled for a moment, wishing to Merlin he had access to his wand so he could hex the bloody werewolf to oblivion. 

Remus simply smiled and took in the sight before him. In front of his very eyes was the dour Potions Master of Hogwarts, entangled from head to toe by enchanted Christmas lights. His face was as red as some of the blinking bulbs. ‘If only I had access to Mr. Creevy’s camera!’ 

"Take a picture, it’ll last longer!" 

"Why you read my mind Severus! But alas, I don’t think I have one on me. How on Earth did this happen?" Finally deciding that enough was enough, Remus began casting a few spells to loosen the lights.

"For once I would love to say that your Potter did this to me, however even he wouldn’t have been smart enough to concoct this type of stunt." Severus stared disdainfully as Remus’ attempts to magic the lights away failed.

"So you’re saying this came from a potion? And why aren’t they disappearing or falling down?" Remus began tapping his wand on his thigh as he ran through all the Marauder made spells in his mind.

"Yes, from my NEWT class’ latest practical. Apparently I have offended a few of the Ravenclaws’ sense of Holiday Spirit."

"A Ravenclaw did this? Well then maybe a hands-on approach might be best…"

"I wouldn’t advise that Lupin—"

As soon as Remus’ hands were inches away from grabbing one of the Christmas lights strings, it shot out and wrapped itself around his hands.

"What the--?"

"Oh for the love of Merlin!"

Within seconds, Remus found himself entangled in the Christmas lights which wouldn’t have been so bad if like Severus, he accidentally dropped his wand. Remus sighed inwardly, Severus groaned.

"Well I wasn’t expecting that…"

"That is why you should think before you act Lupin."

"Because everyone would assume that Christmas lights might just attack you?"

"Exactly."

"Are you always this paranoid or is it just Christmas you’re wary of?"

"It’s not paranoia Lupin, it is just good sense. Now why don’t you try to be useful for once and use your beastly strength to get us out of this predicament?" 

‘Oh, now he wants to rely on my werewolf abilities,’ Remus thought as he centered himself before he began pushing against the lights. But as soon as he thought the wires were going to break, they suddenly tightened against him. And, as if a punishment, he was now wrapped face to face with Snape.

"Hello there, Severus. Fancy meeting you here." 

"Don’t you ever get annoyed or irritated Lupin?" Severus’ voice was exasperated.

"Only on leap years I’m afraid. Do you think Albus might come looking for me?" 

If Remus could, he would scratch his head while he thought. Then again, if he could scratch his head he’d be able to get a hold of his wand and that would be a much better action.

Severus closed his eyes, tired from being trapped by Christmas lighting for the past hour and from being in the presence of Remus Lupin for the past fifteen minutes. As much as he would love for the Headmaster to come looking for the fill-in DADA teacher, and he much rather not be found like this, tangled in magical Christmas lights, inches away from Lupin’s lips. ‘Damn it, Snape! Don’t think about his lips!’

Remus, on the other hand, was taking this all in stride. As much as anyone would loathe to be practically pressed up against the snarky Potions Master, Remus couldn’t be happier. ‘Seems like I’ll be getting my Christmas wish from Santa this year.’

As Remus looked around for anything that could possibly help them, his nose caught an odd smell despite all the other smells that related to various potions and their ingredients. 

"What is the matter with your nose, Lupin?"

"Don’t you smell that?"

"Smell what?"

Remus breathed in deeply. ‘It’s close, very close.’ He stared at Severus for a moment and then leaned in to take a whiff of the man. If he hadn’t closed his eyes, he would’ve noticed a faint blush on his companion. ‘It’s not coming from Severus, then where…’

Suddenly he looked up and chuckled. This really couldn’t get any better. ‘I must thank that Ravenclaw student for this.’

"What in bloody hell are you grinning at Lupin?" asked Severus as he followed Remus’ gaze, "You’ve got to be kidding me."

As sure as they were tangled up, floating just above the two men’s head was a small sprig of mistletoe. 

"I think I have a solution Severus."

"Oh no, you cannot possibly believe that—"

"Oh but I do. Pucker up, Severus."

"Lupin, surely there must be another—"

But the poor Potions Master couldn’t finish his sentence as the werewolf gently placed a kiss upon his lips. It didn’t occur to Severus that the lights had fallen to the floor until he realized that his arms were around the werewolf kissing back. And it didn’t occur to Remus that the kiss had moved on from gentle to fervent until Severus slowly began leading them towards his bedroom.

But neither man noticed the twinkling of an old Headmaster as he closed the door of Severus’ chambers while whispering, "Merry Christmas."


End file.
